A couple and their children move into a seemingly normal suburban home. When strange events occur, they begin to believe there is something else in the house with them. The presence is about to disrupt their lives in unimaginable ways.
- rg94005d agoPresence is a ghost story told entirely from the perspective of the ghost. It's important to note that this is not a horror film in any real way. Outside of using some haunted house tropes, the movie instead acts much more like a family drama. Soderbergh's recent output has often felt more high-concept, him trying to stretch the boundaries of storytelling and filmmaking in different ways. In Presence, this might feel like a gimmick, but it does result in some interesting camerawork and some film magic. Surprisingly though, as the movie progresses, the Presence behind the camera starts to feel like an actual character, their movements having an intentionality to them. At times, the camera acts as a passive voyeur, selecting which conversations to observe, at other times it becomes a much more active participant. That delineation and the writing from legendary David Koepp is a large part of why the movie works because the question of who the ghost is and their motivations starts to become the driving force behind the suspense. Unfortunately, its brisk runtime of 85 minutes means that a lot of the character development of the family and the daughter in particular simply does not have enough time to really end up feeling deep. The detached nature of the camera hurts here as well, but I think a lot of it is just the runtime. There are tons of throwaway lines to the mother and father's situations that never get touched upon again. Lucy Liu feels almost superfluous in this movie. This prevents an emotional connection to the family which is required for some of the tension to fully work, even if I enjoyed the plot and technical quality of this movie. Like the rest of Soderbergh's recent output (especially the last Koepp/Soderbergh collaboration in Kimi), the end result feels a little inconsequential, a focus on pushing the boundaries of filmmaking in digestable packets instead of leaving something noteworthy behind. It's still an entertaining time that is certainly worth that quick runtime.
- Garrett WilkinsJuly 4, 2026Presence is at its best when it trusts the simplicity of its premise. The film's unique perspective immediately sets it apart from most supernatural stories, creating an unusual viewing experience that makes the audience feel more like observers than participants. Rather than relying on conventional horror tricks, the film builds tension through curiosity and unease, allowing everyday moments to become unexpectedly compelling. The performances help sell the concept, and Steven Soderbergh deserves credit for committing fully to a filmmaking approach that could easily have come across as a gimmick in less capable hands. What ultimately keeps Presence from reaching the next level is that the screenplay never fully matches the strength of the concept. While I found the ending satisfying and appreciated where the story ultimately arrives, there were a handful of moments where the screenplay seemed more interested in steering the audience toward a particular outcome than allowing events to unfold organically. None of these moments are severe enough to derail the film, but they occasionally undermine the naturalistic quality that the unique perspective works so hard to create. I would also caution viewers expecting a traditional horror experience. Presence certainly contains supernatural elements and an underlying sense of unease, but it is far more interested in atmosphere and observation than outright scares. Those looking for a fright may leave disappointed, while viewers willing to embrace the film on its own terms will likely find more to appreciate. Presence is an interesting experiment that largely succeeds, even if it never fully realizes the potential of its clever premise.
- stuhannafordJanuary 3, 2026A slow burner, without the usual horror elements, and feels like a short story drawn out. It has good twists and turns, and the final unveiling doesn’t occur until the very end. It won’t be for everyone, very little happens for long periods, but it’s inventive and creative, with good performances throughout. I enjoyed it, but may well be a bit Marmite.
- jackmeatMay 16, 2025My quick rating - 5.9/10. Steven Soderbergh’s Presence is less a traditional haunted house movie and more of an artful experiment in perspective. Marketed—perhaps misleadingly—as a horror film, this 85-minute suburban ghost story leans more into quiet unease and emotional tension than jump scares or gory thrills. The real hook here is the concept: the entire movie is filmed from the ghost's point of view. And in that regard, Soderbergh delivers something fresh, even if the execution doesn’t always live up to the premise’s potential. Lucy Liu takes the human spotlight, playing the mother of a family that’s just moved into what they soon discover is a not-so-empty house. She’s great here, relatable and emotionally honest in a role that asks her to anchor scenes with very little conventional back-and-forth. But ultimately, the ghost is the real star, and Soderbergh’s camera puts us directly behind its silent, spectral eyes. It’s a neat trick. The floating, voyeuristic perspective makes you feel like you're eavesdropping on lives that were never meant to be watched. It’s immersive in a way most ghost stories only aspire to be. But where it falters is in the story itself. There’s just not enough meat on the bones to justify a full feature. Once the novelty of the gimmick wears off—and it does wear off—you’re left hoping for deeper character arcs, tighter tension, or at least a few shocking revelations. And while there are thematic undercurrents at play here, ones that do eventually bubble to the surface, they arrive too softly to hit with any real impact. The film has something to say, sure, but if you pick up on it in the first act, the rest of the journey starts to feel like slow-motion confirmation rather than discovery. Then there are moments of head-scratching logic that yank you right out of the atmosphere. One particularly dumbfounding choice comes when the parents, after witnessing a full-on supernatural meltdown in a bedroom, decide to leave the kids home alone. Come again? Not only have they verified that the house is haunted—no ambiguity, no "maybe it was the wind" excuses—they still treat it like a mild inconvenience. No panic. No immediate exit. Just a baffling lack of urgency that undercuts the credibility of the entire family dynamic. That said, this isn’t a bad movie. Far from it. It’s stylish, well-acted, and genuinely interesting to look at. It just feels more like a really impressive short film that was padded out into a feature without quite enough substance to fill the frame. It’s not scary, not shocking, and not particularly twisty, but it is a unique take on a genre that’s too often stuck in repetition. Bottom line: Presence is worth watching for the concept alone, especially if you're in the mood for something different. Just temper your expectations. This is a quiet experiment, not a scream-fest—and if you go in looking for blood-curdling horror, you're going to come out haunted by missed potential instead.
- cultfilmlikerMarch 10, 2025Love the beautiful POV camera work. Reminded me of Unsane obviously. Soderbergh’s work is very singular even though there’s nothing particularly unique about it. It’s a stream of consciousness narrative that I rarely enjoy. Would have loved to have seen this in the theater. Tight script (easy to do with the runtime lol) so I enjoyed every minute of it. The long takes were incredibly impressive. The actor who played Ryan’s emotions felt forced (during difficult monologues), but other than that, decent acting! Lotta labia art. Thanks, Freud!
- RedHarlow13October 19, 20252/10 Started Buns Ended Buns Like Really i heard people were walking out on this movie because it was too (REAL) lol yeah sure... how much did you pay these "People" to walk out to boost the ratings on this trash because it didn't help and heard they filmed this is 2 weeks this was just talking and overdrawn boring scenes where the camera just stares at someone doing nothing for a minute straight just to cut to another scene of the same thing
- Monkey See! Monkey Review!!October 18, 2025TLDR > Imagine being a ghost. Not a vengeful spirit or a tortured soul—just a passive observer with no agenda, no scares, and no sense of pacing. That’s Presence. A film that promises a haunting and delivers a shrug. Not worth the time. Skip to the end. The concept? First-person ghost POV. Brilliant. Revolutionary. A chance to explore the afterlife through the eyes of the unseen. What we get instead is a slow drift through awkward teenage hormones, half-hearted paranormal flickers, and a twist ending so bland it could be served with unseasoned tofu. There are no thrills here. No horror. No jump scares. Just the cinematic equivalent of someone whispering “boo” from across the room and then apologizing for being too loud. The ghost doesn’t haunt—it loiters. The teens don’t act—they fumble through scenes like they’re trying to remember if they left the oven on. You could watch the first 30 minutes, skip to the last 20, and feel spiritually complete. The middle is a fog of missed opportunities and scenes that feel like they were written by a Ouija board stuck on “meh.” And yet, buried beneath the awkward silences and spectral indifference, there’s a whisper of something interesting. A woman brushing her hair in a mirror that doesn’t reflect. A door that opens not with menace, but mild confusion. A family held together by grief, denial, and the ghost’s complete lack of urgency. Presence is a film for those who enjoy the idea of horror more than horror itself. It’s a séance where nobody shows up. A haunting where the ghost is too polite to interrupt. Watch it if you must—but don’t be surprised if the scariest part is how much time you just lost.
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Presence was released on January 22, 2025.
Presence was directed by Steven Soderbergh.
Presence has a runtime of 84m.
Presence was produced by Julie M. Anderson, Ken Meyer.
A couple and their children move into a seemingly normal suburban home. When strange events occur, they begin to believe there is something else in the house with them. The presence is about to disrupt their lives in unimaginable ways.
The key characters in Presence are Chloe (Callina Liang), Rebekah (Lucy Liu), Chris (Chris Sullivan).
Presence is rated R.
Presence is a Horror, Thriller, Drama film.
Presence has an audience rating of 5.2 out of 10.
Presence had a budget of $2M.
Presence has made $11.1M at the box office.